Help on how to stop all these headaches ...

Canada
September 26, 2008 10:24pm CST
I suffer from migraines and years ago was told I suffered from chronic migraine disorder . I was told there was no cure but that I could have a cortizone shots put in the the soft spots in the back of my head and it would help for years . This was five years ago . I agreed to do this but it was extremely painful and I ended up really sick after they did this . They injected these long needled ( mind you I am terrified of needles ) in the two soft spots in the back of my head . I felt so sick after they did this and for many months after this I had the weirdest headache that was honesly worse then the migraines and this woudln't go away . Fianlly one day it did and I have not suffered from migraines in years but now they are coming back and I need to get rid of them somehow because the pain is stil very fresh in my mind of the last cortizone shots I had and they had said this would last many years and it has only been five . Not many !! Has anyone ever had these cortizone shots and how long did the migraines go away for ? Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas on how I can stop them from coming back ? I have a headache everyday and am getting migraines more and more frequently and don't want to be like I was before because I was in so much pain five years ago that I was unable to function normally from day to day because of the pain . Any ideas , thoughts or suggestions woudl be greatly appreciated .
2 people like this
16 responses
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
27 Sep 08
When was the last time you went to a Dr for migraines? There are a lot of awesome medications for migraines. If i were you I would find out if your headaches are trigger by certain food or your hormone. Get checked out by a neurologist. I learned that people who have migraines are at extreme risk for having a stroke.
2 people like this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
27 Sep 08
Well, do you have high blood pressure when you aren't having a migraines? Do you hjave any of the food triggers - caffeine, chocolate, etc There are special diets you can go on to help reduce the risk of migraines.
2 people like this
• Canada
27 Sep 08
I was checked by a neurologist and the only thing they can figure is that I have severly high blood pressure and they are not sure if the migraines cause my pressure to rise of if my pressure is bringing on migraines . I do take a lot of medication ( for different medial problems ) and really don't want to have to go on any more if it could be helped . Thank you for your help :)
1 person likes this
• Canada
28 Sep 08
Yes I actually have high blood pressure all the time and have only noticed chocolate as one of my triggers .
• Canada
27 Sep 08
Sorry to hear you have headaches I don't let when I get them either but don't get migraines. Have you tried the green advil they are supposed to be good for migraines they help me when I have a headache really fast. Maybe if you take a couple when you first feel it coming it will stop a migraine.
2 people like this
• Canada
28 Sep 08
Thank you for your response .
@Feona1962 (7526)
• United States
28 Sep 08
Hi sam.. My husband suffers from migraines ever since his stroke 19 years ago..He takes oxycodone several times daily for that pain and all his other pain..But when the headaches get really severe as to where he vomits...Then he takes Imitrex shots... He never had cortizone injections..and I don't believe they ever suggested them to him...On a scale of 1 to 10 his headache is a 7 everyday and has been this way for 19 years.....
1 person likes this
• Canada
28 Sep 08
Oh do I ever feel for him . I was like this years ago before I went for the shots as I had them everyday and the pain would be so bad that it was hard to be a part of the family for my children because so often I would have to go lay down because of the pain or would have to go for a shot and this would put me out for about a day so no matter what they were not getting to spend time with me . It has been good for a few years now but with them coming back more and more frequently again , it scares me because I had actaully forgotten how bad they could get and can't imagine how I lived like this before and do not want to go through this again but the fear of the cortizone shots is still so fresh in my mind that I would so like to find another means . Your husband might want to look into the shots though because I know that having them everyday was what made me decide to agree to this and he may not find them as bad as I did and they did help for a few years . Thank you for your response .
@Feona1962 (7526)
• United States
28 Sep 08
Hi sam.. I'm so sad to know that you are in so much pain again...I don't know how my husband handles it..I will mention the shots to him so he can ask his doctor..Any relieve would be so great for him.. It has to be really hard with the kids...with you wanting to be there but can't due to the pain...hang in there...I will pray for you.... Hugs...
@relundad (2310)
• United States
28 Sep 08
You should try Beta Blockers as they will get rid of the headache if you catch it early enough. I get them so bad sometimes that I will start to throw up because the pain is so bad that it makes me sick to the stomache. Beta Blockers will also aid in your high blood pressure.
1 person likes this
• Canada
28 Sep 08
I actaully take Beta Blockers for my blood pressure but did not realize this could help with migraines as well and this could be part of the prolem lately as I ran out of my beta blockers and never went and had them renewed because of the cost of them and we couldn't really afford it but I will have to go back in and get them renewed becasue this pain is to much to bear at times . I had to go to bed after I started this topic last night and was not able to get back up until a couple of hours ago because they pain was so intese ... I have missed most of today because of this and it will soon be time for bed again because it is getting late . Thank you for your response .
• Canada
28 Sep 08
Thank you for the advise :) My doctor is pretty good to give samples when there are some but often they have none . I didn't realize I could get a hold of the company myself and will have to look into this :)
@rocketj1 (6955)
• United States
27 Sep 08
This may be somewhat food allergy related. I know they say that there are certain foods that can trigger migraines. Just a thought. I get about 1 good (word choice?) migraine a year. They tend to happen if I've eaten a lot of sugar or travelled in a car facing into direct sunlight or when I am overly tired and under too much stress. The first two I can regulate. But the last one is called LIFE. I don't know if any of the above helps at all, but I feel for you and I hope you can get some relief from this.
• Canada
27 Sep 08
I have noticed if I eat chocolate when I have a headache that it will bring on a migraine . Sunlight for sure brings one on and I can't go outside even on a rainy day without a pair of sunglasses or I will have one within minutes . I am under a lot of stress lately but don't know how I can eliminate this as it is part of my family life and I can't just get rid of my family ( know what I mean ) . Tonight I only have a headache ( not a migraine yet ) and really I probably shouldn't be on here because this is certainly not going to help but I thought I would see if anyone had any ideas first . Thank you for your thoughts :)
1 person likes this
@rocketj1 (6955)
• United States
27 Sep 08
It could be that you have a sinus infection too. I get them frequently and especially in the spring and fall. Sometimes those headaches can go into a full blown migraine too. You don't have to feel or sound stuffy to have a sinus infection either.
1 person likes this
@rocketj1 (6955)
• United States
27 Sep 08
I see a couple of "related discussions" along the side of this page that mention botox helping migraines. I know that botox paralyzes the muscles in your forhead. You may want to investigate that online.
1 person likes this
@pimagro24 (1046)
• Thailand
27 Sep 08
I ever hear someone they speak that they migraines when they feel headaches from it they drink black coffee it can help them feel good but I don't no it's really
2 people like this
• Canada
27 Sep 08
Thanks I can give this a try but somehow don't feel this will work but at this point anything is worth a try . Thanks :)
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
27 Sep 08
I suffer from migraines atleast once a week or more sometimes they can last for days. I have never heard of this Cortizone treatment though and from the sound of it I think I would be searching other options as well before trying the shots again. I usually try to catch the pain as soon as I feel it coming on and take a few Advil it sometimes helps sometimes not, but they aren't as bad as they used to be. I hate waking up with one. They are the kind that last for days and you think nothing will help. I do hope you can find relief from something other then the Cortiznne treatments.
1 person likes this
• Canada
28 Sep 08
I usually try to catch it right away to but sometimes catching it soon enough doesn't seem to help :) Thank you for your response .
• India
27 Sep 08
I hope you might have heard of the "Art of living" courses. It has proved and is found to be of great help to many. Why don't you just give a try? I am damn sure it is not going to be worthless.
• Canada
28 Sep 08
I have never heard of Art of living ... I will have to check it out thanks :)
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
27 Sep 08
I wish I could help because I get them too. It runs in my family. I had an MRI done because I was getting too many migraines but that was OK. The neurologist suggested I take Maxalt RPD and if you take it as told to do within 2 hours or less the headache is gone. Maxalt is a pill they refer to as a waffer and as soon as you feel the migrane coming on just put the wafer on your tongue and it disolves almost instantly. Here in Canada where I live these pills are very very expensive. my doctor has been giving me samples. OK this is off topic a bit but I tried to find a link on Maxalt to no prevail but I did get a little warning on who should not take Maxalt and one was anyone having heart desease and anyone who has had a heart attack. Makes you wonder I had a heart attack in 2001 and my doctors know that. So I'm with you now what to do??? Good grief, these doctors make me crazy. I have been relying on natural cures more all the time and I think it's the best and most safe. I know Ginger is good for headaches if you don't mind the taste of it to chew on.
• Canada
28 Sep 08
Yes it runs in my family as well and is more likely a heredity problem , one part of heredity that I could have lived without :) These Maxalt sound like something my doctor spoke to me about awhile ago but I couldn't afford them then and now am not allowed to take many of the migraine medications because they mix with other medications I take for other medically related problems . I paid over 200 dollars for some pills one time and before I ever got to take one found out that I was unable to mix them with my blood pressure meidcaion . Now if they could have told me this BEFORE I bought them it would have been much better for me because they did work and I was really disappointed that I had spent all this money on something I knew worked and then was not allowed to take any of them ... not to mention the severly high price I paid for them . I was out 200 dollars for nothing and am now hesitant to spend money on something for fear that after I purchase it will be told it is unsafe because of other medicatons I take . I will have to look into Ginger as I have never heard of this being used before :) Thank you for your response .
• United States
28 Sep 08
I know how you feel! I get migraines several times a month. They're horrible! They're so debilitating that I can't see out of one eye, feel nauseous and have to go to bed in pain. Bright lights hurt my eyes when I have a migraine. My migraines sometimes flair up due to nasal and sinus allergies and sinus infections. Other times, they are caused by seasonal allergies or eye strain. Other times, they are brought on by dust mite allergies, so I have to clean out my air conditioner filter and central air filter almost weekly, to eliminate dust in the air. Even if you weren't allergic to something before, allergies can pop up at any age. Maybe you could talk to your doctor about the possibility of it being allergies. Hope that info helps. Best of luck.
1 person likes this
• Canada
28 Sep 08
Thank you for your response .
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
27 Sep 08
i am so sorry u have the headaches. thank goodness i don't. i had never heard about putting the shots in your head, sounds quite painful but if it helps i guess i'd go for it. five years is a long time not to have a headache. good luck in what you decide. wishi knew something to tell you that could help but i don't.
1 person likes this
• Canada
28 Sep 08
Thank you for your response .
@mhrmasum (678)
• Bangladesh
27 Sep 08
Headache is always painful if it is from migraines there is nothing to say that how much painful it is. My Mother and younger brother suffered by migraines couple of years, they got treatment but didnot find the best solution. If i speak truly, there is no possible good solution for migraines headache, u just keep away from those thing which is painful for u when the headache start and i think u feels comfort to do it. happy my lotting.
1 person likes this
• Canada
28 Sep 08
Thank you for your response .
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
28 Sep 08
I have had migraines in my life. Man do they suck!! Mine are hemiplegic migraines, and it looks like I am actually having a stroke when they come on. I was given Benadryl and Compazine through an IV. The codtors told me that Benedryl has a positive effect on stopping migraines. The Compazine was given to ward off any upset stomach that the Benedryl may have caused. After that, I took Buspar, a low dose antidepressant to keep them under control because they seemed to hit me more when I felt stressed. Another, non-medicinal way to help is to rub the meaty spot between your thumb and first finger. If you notice, at first, this spot will hurt when you apply pressure. You will notice that the harder you rub it, the better it will feel, and the less it will hurt. As the pain diminished there, so will your headache. I know it sounds really weird, but it actually works. I participated in a class in which we all had to try it. It takes a bit of rubbing, but it is worth it in the end.
1 person likes this
• Canada
28 Sep 08
Actully I have noticed this does help a bit and my husband will usually do this to try and get rid of the pain before we go into the hospital but once I start getting sick there is nothing that will stop the pain or the vomitting until they give me something . Thank you for your response .
@Masmasika (1921)
• Philippines
28 Sep 08
My sister had been suffering chronic migraine for years until she shifted her diet to a vegetarian diet. Now she is enjoying life and working normally without the migraines. Increase your water intake and remove fats from your diet. Better still, you could shift to being a vegan because that is so far the best I could recommend. Hope you will get rid of that migraine.
• Canada
28 Sep 08
Thank you for your response .
@KUSHANK55 (2437)
• India
27 Sep 08
hi dear friend . no injections, tablets etc.are going to teat you. rather all of them will leave their side effects!! only one technique through which this can be treated or rather your suffering be reduced is far infra red, and nano technology, mixed with magneto therapy. no medicines!! if you need pl send me sms for more info. good luck!
1 person likes this
• Canada
28 Sep 08
Hi thank you for this :) Thank you for your response .
@chinna533 (309)
• India
27 Sep 08
donot your hope just enjoy the life........